We went to see and explore the Roman ruins at Volubilis in Morocco. This site was excavated by the French during their rule over French Morocco between 1912 and 1955. Apparently the French army undertook scientific explorations as early as the 1830s and by the 1850s it was fashionable for French army officers to investigate Roman remains during their leave and spare time. By the late 19th century French archaeologists were undertaking an effort to uncover Volubilis through excavations and restorations of this archaeological site.
Built in a fertile agricultural area, Volubilis was developed from the 1st century BC onward as a Berber, then proto-Carthaginian, settlement before being the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. It grew rapidly under Roman rule from the 1st century AD onward and expanded to cover about 42 hectares (100 acres) with a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls.
There were lots of areas of Volubilis that remained fairly well preserved. We were able to walk freely throughout the ruins and explore the site. We came to some ruins that still had the original floor mosaic tiles in place. The details and design were ornate and beautiful
Mosaic floor of Volubilis in Morocco known as the Mosaic of the Labours of Hercules.
The details of the mosaic floors were quite unique with designs and images of people and animals. We continued exploring the ruins and came to some large pieces that were still standing after all these centuries.
Shelley in the Volubilis ruins in Morocco
Ray stopped to take a rest and enjoyed a seat on one of the 1st century pillar bases in Volubilis.
The Arch of Caracalla in Volubilis
This arch of Caracalla which stood somewhat by itself in the ruins was quite impressive. It was built in honour of the emperor Caracalla.
Opposite side of the Arch of CaracallaRay taking in the moment
We walked through the ruins and imagined the history and lives that lived here over the centuries. There was a main road system that ran the entire length of Volubilis.
In the centre of the Road were flat stones that covered a ditch which was used for water and sewer run off. It was quite advanced for the times and overall the site was very impressive.
We headed by car to Granada driving along the scenic route. The views and country side were gorgeous. Spain is truly a beautiful country and the landscape changes fairly quickly into something totally different.
We arrived in Granada and stayed in the heart of the city. It was a perfect time to visit because it was Christmas season and there were lights decorated throughout the city.
We walked and explored some of the main streets of Granada.
Shelley, Dan, Kathy and Ray in downtown Granada
We walked for a fair amount of time and came to an outdoor area that was converted into an outdoor skating rink.
Outdoor temporary ice rink in Granada
We watched as people enjoyed skating or tried skating for the first time. We decided to stop and enjoy some tapas and watch the skaters for a while.
Shelley and Kathy at our table enjoying a tapa and drink
The following day we went to see and explore the Alhambra Palace which is a world UNESCO site. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world. We walked up the path leading to the Palace. The views along the route up to the Palace were beautiful.
View of the Alhambra Palace walking up the route towards the Palace.
Once we reached the entrance we saw just how large and wonderful it was.
The way to the Alhambra area through arched walls along the route to the main entrance.
We entered the Alhambra and walked along the different paths that lead throughout the Palace. There are gardens located on a raised area that provide great views of the Palace as well as the city below.
Kathy and Dan overlooking the Alhambra PalaceView of part of the garden in AlhambraInside islamic designs inside some of the palace buildings.
We walked through many of the different buildings in the palace. Some of the buildings were quite unique and included ornate islamic designs.
Beautiful marble floors inside the PalaceShelley, Kathy and Dan on one of the walkways in the Palace with the city of Granada in the backgroundShelley and Kathy inside one of the courtyards within the palace building.One of the many water features in the Alhambra palace
After exploring this mazing Alhambra Palace and the city of Granada, we were off to our next adventure in Sevilla.
Sevilla
We arrived in Sevilla and we were immediately impressed by the display of lights that were set up for the holiday season.
We stayed in the heart of Sevilla and we were able to walk to the major sites. One of our first stops was the Sevilla cathedral which was open and we were able to get inside.
Seville Cathedral
The cathedral was spectacular and we even saw the resting place for the remains of Christopher Columbus.
Inside the Cathedral of SevilleKathy and Dan inside the Cathedral of Seville
After touring the Cathedral we walked along the streets exploing the area. We came across some beautiful buildings and sites. The streets were wet from the rain and it made everything look like polished marble.
Dan and Kathy on the streets of Seville, Spain
The following day we went to see an authentic Flamenco dance show. We arrived at the building which was located in the heart of the old quarter. We had great seats in the front row. We could feel the emotion and enjoyed the amazing dancing of the Flamenco. It truly was one of the highlights of Seville.
After Seville we went to another great city, Cordoba.
Cordoba
The city is located near the banks of the Guadalquivir river. It was once a Roman settlement along with the historic Roman bridge of Córdoba. This bridge is in the Historic centre of Córdoba, and originally built in the early 1st century BC.
Historic Roman bridge in Cordoba Spain
We walked across the Roman bridge and were amazed at the size and length of it. It is 9 meters (30 ft) wide and 331 meters (1,086 ft) in length.
Kathy and Dan walking along the Roman Bridge in Cordoba Spain.
It was a rainy day and we able to explore the area without large crowds of people. It was a nice pace and very relaxed. We walked from the Bridge to the Puerta del Puente which means Gate of the Bridge. It was built in the 16th century. The gateway is located on the site of the previous Roman gates, linking the city with the Roman bridge.
Puerta de Puente in Cordoba
We walked the streets of the old section of Cordoba, including in the jewish quarter. The streets are very narrow and it was easy to get disoriented and loose yourself in the back streets.
We wandered around for about an hour or so before deciding to stop for lunch.
Tabursa Restaurant and bar in Cordoba.
We enjoyed Cordoba and the final leg of our whirlwind tour of Spain. We headed back to Madrid and said goodbye to our guest. It was a great time and lots of fun but it was time to get back to our normal routine and plan our next adventures.
“Vivimos en un mundo maravilloso que está lleno de belleza, encanto y aventura. Las aventuras que podemos tener no tienen fin si las buscamos con los ojos abiertos”.
We met our friends Dan and Kathy from Canada in Madrid. From there we did a tour of some of the most beautiful cities of Spain. We of course began our adventure in Madrid. We walked the city centre exploring the architecture, food and culture of Madrid.
Dan in front of a Bocadillo restaurant in Madrid
Ibérico de bellota, is a type of ham, the ¨bellota¨ refers to the acorn-rich diets of free-range Iberian pigs. It is considered one of the best type of ham in Spain.
Shelley, Kathy and Dan in front of the oldest restaurant in the world ¨Botin¨ located in Madrid.View of the Palacio de Comunicaciones in MadridThe front of the Royal Palace of Madrid
We decided to take a break and try some Madrid tapas.
Dan enjoying tapas in Madrid
Toledo
The following day we took the high speed train to Toledo.
Kathy and Dan at the Toledo sign
The city of Toledo represents the essence and soul of Spain. There are beautiful historical landmarks that are located throughout the city. Toledo was declared a Historic-Artistic Site by UNESCO in 1940 and later, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage. It has a rich and long history and dates back to the fifth century BC. In 193 BC, it was taken by the roman empire and remained an important city. During the ages Toledo was known for the quality of the weapons it made for the Romans.
Store front in Toledo selling assorted swords and knives.
We went into the ¨Iglesia de los Jesuitas¨ a beautiful 18th-century baroque church.
Iglesia de los Jesuitas in Toledo Spain
We explored the church and even went up the tower and onto the roof area.
From there we could see the spectacular views of Toledo and the surrounding area.
View of Toledo Spain from the roof of the Iglesia de los Jusuitas
We had a wonderful day in Toledo exploring the many sites and historic areas.
Barcelona
The following day we took the high speed train from Madrid to Barcelona. The train speed was as fast as 300 kilometers per hour during the trip. We arrived in the heart of the city and began exploring the second largest city in Spain.
We went to the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, known as the Sagrada Familia basilica. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an extraordinary cathedral. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Designed by the Famous architect Antoni Gaudí,
Barcelona Cathedral
Dan in the base of the Sagrada Familia church
We went to see the Güel park which was built from 1900 to 1914. It was designed by the same architect Mr. Antoni Gaudí that was in charge of the construction of the Sagrada Familia Church. The Güel park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. It is one of the large green spaces in Barcelona, with more than 17 hectares. We walked throughout the park admiring the unique designs of the walls and walkways.
The Entrance to the Güel park in BarcelonaOne of the stone walls along the walkway in the Güel Park in BarcelonaStone pillars of the bridge section in Güel ParkShelley towards the top of the Güel park with views that overlook Barcelona
After exploring Barcelona for a few days we were off on the train again this time to Alicante
Alicante
Alicante is a historic Mediterranean port city with a long rich history. The history of Alicante spans thousands of years. The first settlements in the Alicante area were made by Iberian tribes. Since then the area has been inhabited successively by Greeks, Romans, Muslims, and Christians. Today Alicante is a bustling city of over 320,000 population.
Kathy and Dan near the entrance to the Castillo de Santa Bárbara in Alicante
We explored the city and walked the beautiful coastline of the Mediterranean sea enjoying the kilometres of white sandy beaches.
Kathy, Dan, Shelley and Ray on the beach in AlicanteKathy and Dan walking in the Mediterranean sea in AlicanteKathy and Dan leaving their mark on the shore of the mediterranean Sea.
Over the next few days we explored the city at a relaxed pace. We walked the promenade. It was decorated for Christmas and there was a very large nativity scene on the promenade.
Kathy and Dan at luceros plaza in Alicante10 meter hight Nativity scene on the promenade in AlicanteDan and Kathy on the Promenade in AlicanteDan and Kathy in front of an old Ficus Microcarpa tree in the Canalejas Park in Alicante.
We explored some museums which were quite unique. The Fogueres Festival museum was very special with different fogueres on display.
Kathy and Dan in the Fogueres Museum in Alicante
We went to the Castillo de Santa Barbara and explored this historic castle.
View of the Santa Bárbara castle from the waterfront of Alicante.
The medieval castle is a historic landmark and was built on the top of Mount Benacantil. The views of the mediterranean Sea where amazing and the colour of the water stunning.
View from the top of the Castle of Santa Bárbara in AlicantePartial view of the castle and the mediterranean seaKathy and Dan with some Knights of the Castle of Santa BarbaraKathy, Dan and Shelley on a section of the castle of Santa Barbara
Kathy in the lookout on the top of the Santa Bárbara Castle
Kathy on the lookout tower of the Santa Bárbara Castle in Alicante.
While in Alicante we enjoyed trying a few of the traditional Spanish restaurants and walking through the fresh food markets.
Dan and Kathy at one of the Spanish restaurants in Alicante
Guadalest
After spending time in Alicante we took a few day trips around the area. The first trip was to Gaudalest a small village anchored in a small valley. Gaudalest was declared a Historic-Artistic monument in 1974. It is known for its ‘castle’, which is literally hanging on the edge of the cliffs.
Kathy and Dan looking out over the Valley in Guadalest
We did a day trip with our friend and tour guide Filipe to a town called Novelda.
Novelda
The day began with a tour of the Mola castle which stands 360 metres above sea level. The castle was built in the late 12th century by Islamic occupiers. The castle was originally a polygonal layout with eight square turrets jutting out from the outer wall, although only four still survive today.
Dan, Kathy and Shelley with Filipe explaining the history of the Mola castle
We climbed the steep narrow stairs inside the towers reaching the top of the tower.
Narrow and steep staircase within the Mola castle
We also could see the remains of the 12th century layout of the castle from the rooftop.
View of the remains of the rooms within the 12th century castle
We could also see the church Shrine of Mary Magdalene .
View from Castle of the Church Shrine of Mary MagdaleneThe church Shrine of Mary Magdalene in Novelda
We explored this amazing and unique church. Work began on the church in 1918 and was completed in three phases. The architect Jose Sala Sala, who is a native of Novelda, he dedicated the church to Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of Novelda.
The outside is made of stone, brick and marble with a similar style to the Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona.
Outside walls of the church
The main entrance archway is made of large sections of marble and is quite impressive. The marble organ system which is still under construction is made completely of marble. The three main marble pipes are mounted above the entranceway of the church.
Shelley and Dan at the entrance area of the church
After visiting the church we finished our day by visiting the Bodega Casa Cesilia which has a great restaurant. We enjoyed a great meal and then toured the winery.
Casa Cesilla winery in Novelda
It was a great way to end our day. Over the next few days we relaxed and enjoyed home cooked meals and some quiet time in Alicante before heading back out on our next adventure.
“Las cosas bonitas se aprecian mucho mejor en compañía de amigos”
We went to explore the Riebera del Duero wine region of Spain. It is one of the top wine making regions in Spain. The area is located on the extensive, elevated northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula. It follows the Duero river and has ideal conditions for wine making.
View of part of the Riebera del Duero region in Spain.
We were excited to visit some of the bodegas and experience some wine tours. We began with a visit to the bodega called Remigio de Salas Jalón located in the highest part of the urban centre of Dueñas. It is located in the side of a mountain and the majority of the bodega is located inside manmade caves and is underground. We did a little exploring in the area before heading to the bodega.
Shelley on the mountain side near the bodegaThe road up to the bodega Remigio de Salas JalónThe entrance to the bodega Remigio de Salas Jalón
This area has a long history of ancient wineries and the Salas family has maintained an authentic age-old wine tradition. The Salas have been making wine since 1738 on this land. This is the fifth generation of the Salas family that has followed in the tradition of wine making on this land.
We were fortunate to have had a private tour of the winery and explored some of the caves that hold the wine. The grapes are transported to the bodega by tractor and then brought into the bodega by a conveyor type system.
Grapes brought to the bodega for processing into wineWine grapes being loaded into the bodega through a conveyor type system
We began our tour in the main entrance area and before long we were walking down a corridor that went into the dug caves created in the mountain side. It felt as if we were walking back in time to a different era.
One of the corridors in the cave system of the bodega.
The entire bodega was very impressive but the most unique thing was the Original Roman era wine press that was still inside the bodega.
The wheel section of the Roman wine press.The lever area where the wine would be pressed.Ray in front of the Roman wine press
Once we had toured the bodega of course we had to sample some of their wines. It was a great experience and very memorable.
We spent a week in Florence exploring this beautiful city. There were so many things to see and do. One of the things we enjoyed was a pasta making class where we made different pastas and then ate our creations along with some nice Tuscany wines.
Shelley making fresh Pasta
We stayed close to the Porta Romana in Florence which was walking distance to the main parts of Florence.
The Porta Romano, southern most gate in the 13th century Roman wall in Florence.
The Porta Romana, once known as the Porta San Pier Gattolino was the southernmost gate in the 13th-century walls of Florence. In 1861, Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy, which after 4 years in 1865, Florence became the new capital of Italy, replacing Turin. Florence remained the capital of Italy until Rome became the capital in 1870.
The ponte Vecchio, in Florence Italy.
The Ponte Vecchio, which means “Old Bridge”, is an icon of Florence. It was built in 1345. The bridge spans over the River Arno with 3 arches, an innovative design for the time.
The covered passage on the Ponte Vacchio bridge.
Today the bridge is easily recognizable with all the shops that are built on it. We walked the bridge several times exploring the stores and shops. There were many jewelry stores and expensive shops.The bridge has a covered passage above it, which was a private aerial walkway built for the ruling family, the Medici Family.
Ray and Shelley on the Ponte Vacchio bridge in Florence.
We explored the streets of Florence and came across many gelato shops. The delicious frozen dessert was invented in Florence in the 16th century. It was first invented by Cosimo Ruggieri. We of course had to try several gelatos during our time in Florence.
Plastic Gelato cone outside a gelato store in FlorenceSome of the selections of gelatos
As we explored Florence it was obvious that the statue of David was a tremendous pride of the city. The white marble statue was created in Florence, by a Florentine, and is displayed at the Galleria dell’Accademia. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, known simply as Michelangelo, was born in the Republic of Florence, and created the statue of David in 1504.
There were many copies and variations of the statue of David in stores and for sale throughout Florence. There were several full size copies of the statues of David located in some beautiful locations like the Piazzale Michelangelo. This monument was created in 1869 by Florentine architect Giuseppe Poggi.
Ray in front of the monument with copy of the statue of David in Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence.
The view from the Piazzale Michelangelo were breathtaking and quite beautiful.
Shelley admiring the view of Florence from PIazzale Michelangelo.
While exploring the streets of Florence we came to a bronze statue of a wild boar, located near the main market.
This bronze “Little Pig” as it is referred to by the locals is said to Bring luck when a tourist strokes his nose and puts a coin into his mouth. So how could we resist this opportunity.
Ray rubbing the nose of the Little Pig and dropping a coin from it’s mouth for good luck.
Here are just a few pictures and a video of this amazing city.
The Baptistery of St. John in FlorenceStatue of Benvenuto Cellini, on the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence.
Benvenuto Cellini was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. born in Florence in the 16th century.
One of the many unique fountains in Florence
One of the many interesting statues in Florence
Shelley in front of the Baptistery of St. John In Florence Italy
Florence is an amazing city and we will be coming back to visit again.
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